What 268 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIVE TO THE RIGHT AND THE WHEELS BEGAN TO LOSE TRACTION BEFORE THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE THEN SPUN OUT AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIR BAG. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED LOWER BACK AND LEFT SHOULDER INJURIES HOWEVER HAD NOT SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION DUE TO COVID-19. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A POLICE OFFICER WAS DRIVING BEHIND HER AND STOPPED TO ASSIST. POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSED THE DOORS, LOCKING THE DRIVER INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED AT THE TIME OF THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LYNCH CHEVROLET OF MUKWONAGO (280 EAST WOLF RUN MUKWONAGO, WI 53149) WHO REPLACED AN ELECTRICAL HARNESS AND MODULE. NO FURTHER INFO WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED A SHIFT TO PARK FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE WOULD STILL OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11325954

CAR WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT FOR OVER AN HOUR WHEN AN ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED BY THE BATTERY AND FUSE PANEL. THERE HAVE BEEN NO MODIFICATIONS MADE TO THE CAR AT ALL. STANDARD MAINTENANCE ONLY HAS BEEN DONE INCLUDING NEW TIRES ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THERE IS NO REASON A PARKED COOL CAR SHOULD CATCH ON FIRE. THERE WERE NO OIL LEAKS AT ALL ON THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11222866

VEHICLE FIRE NEAR THE BATTERY/BOX. NO BODY DAMAGE, DAMAGE LIMITED TO THE FUSEBOX AND HARNESS NEAR THE BATTERY. WIRES AND PART OF THE BATTERY/BOX BURNED.

NHTSA ODI 11141416

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE REMAINED ON AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AND CRASHED INTO A UTILITY POLE. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE CONTACT WAS DRAGGED BY THE VEHICLE AND SUSTAINED FACIAL INJURIES ALONG WITH ABRASIONS TO THE LEFT ARM. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE LATER EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY ACCELERATING AND WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (BILL ESTES CHEVROLET, 4105 W. 96TH ST., INDIANAPOLIS, IN) AND REPAIRED, BUT THE DIAGNOSIS WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

NHTSA ODI 11115386

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE, THE CONTACT OPENED THE DOOR AND SMOKE BILLOWED OUT. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS PARTIALLY MELTED AND THE CARPET WAS BURNT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE NOT PRESENT AND NO REPORTS WERE FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO STEVE RAYMAN CHEVROLET IN MARIETTA, GEORGIA WHERE THE HEAD MECHANIC FROM HEADQUARTERS DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS NEVER PROVIDED WITH THE DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER OFFERED TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE BACK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ODI 11074446

ON DECEMBER 10, 2017 AROUND 11AM I CAME OUT OF CHURCH, I OPENED MY CAR DOOR AND SMOKE CAME FLOWING OUT. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT AND FLOOR MATS WERE COVERED IN BLACK ASH AND MELTED AS WELL AS THE CONSOLE. THE INTERIOR WAS COVERED IN BLACK SOOT. I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY AND THE CAR CRANKED FINE. I CALLED GM, THEY ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAY, SO I FILED A REPORT WITH THE GM REPRESENTATIVE ON MONDAY, SHE WAS TOTALLY COMBATIVE. I HEARD NOTHING FOR 4 TO 5 WEEKS SO I CALLED THE ASME NUMBER AND COMPLAINED VEHEMENTLY. FINALLY I RECEIVED AN EMAIL TO CONTACT THE DEALRSHIP AND TAKE THE CAR THERE. THE DEALER, STEVE RAYMAN, WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL, THEY ADVISED ME HOW TO PROCEED AND IN 2 DAYS I WAS ABLE TO RECEIVE A RENTAL FROM ENTERPRISE CAR RENTAL. FOUR WEEKS LATER I RECEIVED AN OFFER OF $13,000.00 AND A STATE THAT WOULD ABSOLVE GM OF ANY LIABILITY. ICALLED TO SEE IF I COULD SIMPLY SUBSITUTE A CAR I FOUND FOR $11,000. 00 , SAME MAKE MODEL AND YEAR, THIS WOULD HAVE REDUCED GM'S LOSS; I WAS TOLD "NO WAY." I ASKED WHY?, THEY RESPONDED "I DON'T KNOW." THE VECHILE WAS PARKED IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT, IT WAS SNOWING, AROUND 32 DEGREES. *JS

NHTSA ODI 11074449

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON A CITY STREET WHEN SMOKE STARTED AND FIRE BROKE OUT BURNING VEHICLE TO GROUND.

NHTSA ODI 11042956

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE ON MARCH 2015 OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR OF A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. ON JUNE 18, 2016 MY CAR CAUGHT A FIRE WHILE IT WAS PARKED AND I WAS NOT IN THE VEHICLE. I HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE CAR WITH THE AIR BLOWING FROM THE DEFROSTER FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES. I DROVE TO THE STORE AND CAME BACK HOME. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND STOOD ON THE PORCH TALKING TO MY FAMILY. WITHIN IN 10 MINUTES OF ME EXITING MY CAR, IT WAS ON FIRE. I RAN TO THE CAR AND COULD SEE THAT THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM RIGHT ABOUT WHERE THE WINDSHIELD ENDS AND WHERE THE HOOD OF THE CAR BEGINS, RIGHT WHERE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE. I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THEY USED THE JAWS OF LIFE TO PLY THE HOOD OPEN AND CUT THE MAIN WIRE TO THE CAR. I THEN CONTACTED THE GM MANUFACTURING COMPANY CHEVROLET AND STARTED A CLAIM WITH THEM TO DO AN INVESTIGATION ON MY VEHICLE AS TO WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY TO THIS BRAND NEW CAR. ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE FACT THEIR WAS NO ONE IN THE CAR AT THE TIME IT CAUGHT FIRE, THANK GOD AND AS TO NO ONE COULD OF STARTED THE FIRE BECAUSE I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE THE ENTIRE TIME. THE ALLEGED INVESTIGATION TOOK ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF TO COMPLETE. I RECEIVED A CALL A WEEK PRIOR TO GM CHEVROLET MANUFACTURING MAKING A DECISION FROM ONE OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ASKING ME HAVE I EVER GOTTEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR REPLACED BEFORE. I STATED TO HER NO I HAVEN'T AND REMINDED HER THAT THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW OFF THEIR SHOWROOM FLOOR AND THAT I HADN'T HAD ANYTHING REPLACED OR ALTERED ON THAT CAR. ON JULY 29TH I WAS CALLED BY A GM CHEVROLET REPRESENTATIVE AGAIN TELLING ME MY CLAIM WAS BEING DENIED BECAUSE OF A WINDSHIELD WIPER ISSUE. I STATED TO HER THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT. SHE THEN CHANGES THE REASON AND STATES THAT GM CHEVROLET REALLY CANT DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY WERE DENYING MY CLAIM. THEIR HAD BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS ON GM CARS

NHTSA ODI 10896661